Childish Fears
by GrimLegate
Summary: Chrom has had nightmares since Robin's disappearance, lingering after the woman returns. It's a good thing his wife knows exactly how to help.


He had always thought that there was a certain comfort in the inevitable. That there was a finite time that they had to make the most of before their shockingly short and fragile lives were cut short. He thought that it would get easier, that his sister's death would harden him to the very thought of any of his charges dying under his command. Life continued to march on without her to guide him, and new life bloomed in turn. For all the awful things that had happened in his life, it always seemed to balance out, the world gifting him with a loving wife, a child, and a thriving kingdom.

He knew there would be casualties when the war with Valm began… But he never thought Robin would be one. He remembers standing on the Fell Dragon's back, scales distending underneath his feet as the wretched creature drew every breath, watching as his wife advanced on the cruel doppelganger. His eyes ached with each flash of a flurried spell, unable to tear his eyes away as he watched dark magic, purple and black crackles of energy, arcing between her fingers as she cast the bolt at her double. Watched as his wife took her own life, against every promise he had made her make. Watched as she faded from his grip, body disappearing with every breath of wind that drew past.

He would think, five years after the battle, that it would be easier for him to shake the nightmares that plagued him during the twilit hours of the night. He eased onto his side, gaze flitting over to the sleeping form of his wife with a relieved sigh. She had come back to him, nearly three years ago already, but it was still hard to shake the fear that clutched onto his brain and soured his gut every time he thought of it. The nightmares were always the same, him waking up to the mundane—rather than to her small snores in the morning hours, when the kids had yet to wake up, and he was able to savor the precious moment and bask in the simple glow that came from being close.

She was never there, in those nightmares.

He would 'wake' to an empty bed, the warmth and heat of her body just as absent as the half-conscious conversations she would have to herself as she began to wake up. Then Lucy would show up, tears welling in her eyes and falling over her cheeks as she asked where her mother was, where Chrom could only dumbly reply that he didn't know.

He stretched a hand out, scarred fingers coming to pluck a long strand away from Robin's mouth, making sure she didn't try to eat it in a dream induced fantasy—it had happened before. He chuckled at the thought, sucking in a sharp breath when he thought he had woken her when her light breath seemed to pause for a moment. She settled with a deep breath, and he sighed, letting his arm fall around her waist and curl there, finding a deep satisfaction at the feeling of her skin under his. In moments like these, he could truly assure himself that this was real.

Chrom let himself doze, knowing that the nightmare would be waiting for him if he went back to sleep, deciding it would be much more pleasant to simply gaze upon his wife's sleeping face. He had dedicated it to his memory, so that every time they were apart that he knew without a doubt how she would look when she returned. The gentle curve of her nose, bitten, chapped lips, the slight darkness around her eyes from the moments when he would have to drag her to bed against her will.

He let his fingers dip to the curve of her back, letting his tanned fingers splay across the pale skin, humming at how warm she was. He and Robin had always joked about her being his own personal heater, warming up his bed on cold nights, before he would smoothly reply that he was willing to warm her bed whenever she wanted him to—he even threw in a 'smoldering' gaze to seal the deal.

Of course, he thought it was done smoothly. Never mind that his ego took a swift bruising from how she outright laughed at his display. She grinned as she clutched at the fabric at his sides to keep him from leaving, apologizing for laughing at him and telling him she would make it better with the promise of kisses. He couldn't stay mad at her for too long, especially with such a generous deal on her behalf. He made a mental note to grab one of those in the morning, not that he didn't on every other one so far.

Robin made a small noise in the back of her throat at the hand on her back, her eyes fluttering open the barest amount before lazily sliding her gaze over to him. "Is something wrong?" She muttered, half-choked by a yawn that saw fit to force itself out at the exact same time, the man giving a small snort of amusement before kissing his wife's head.

"No, I just had a dream. I'm sorry for waking you." He apologized, never meaning to cause her to lose sleep over him. She barely got the sleep she needed, she didn't need to be worrying on whether or not he was the one ending up with his nightly dosage of the dozes. She made a thoughtful noise in turn, sliding closer to him and wrapping an arm around him. The woman forwent the pillow in favor of laying her head against Chrom's chest, right over his heart to listen to the comforting beat. She gave a sleepy laugh at the sudden jump it seemed to have before she looked up at him, the man melting at the sight of those loving, brown eyes.

"Wanna talk about it?" She asked quietly, and he simply shook his head. He had told her about the dreams he had been having, and they had tried just about every supposed remedy under the sun, the man even allowing Henry to cast a hex on him in the hopes it would make them stop. When he asked Libra about his affliction, the man simply shook his head.

 _"There are some things that wound so deeply, the mind simply cannot get over it, Milord. Time is what your heart needs… And I'm sure with your wife back that they will disappear over time."_

Except they hadn't. Infrequent, sure—but there was no sudden disappearance of the torments his own brain conjured up for him. But, the gaze that was levelled at him with equal parts concern, love, and a slightly off-centered from her disorientated state made him understand that she was worth suffering for.

"It's the same one, don't worry about it. You can go back to sleep, love." He mused, craning his neck to press a feather soft kiss to her forehead. She gave him a disbelieving look, lightly butting her head against his chest.

"You sure talking won't help?" She asked softly, knowing that she herself was the subject of his nightmares, moving a hand up to wind it through his hair, lightly caressing his head. She drew his head down, the man hiding himself in her neck and breathing in. She still held the smell of the field he found her in, having chased her down to the edges of the world, only to find her less than a stone's throw from home.

"I told you, it's the same as always. Just… Being with you, it helps." He murmured, and she crooned as she shuffled closer to him, looping her arms around him loosely.

"We have that meeting at noon tomorrow, try and get some rest. I'll keep you safe from them." Robin hummed, lightly leaning her head against his, the man smiling as he pulled his head back and let it fall against the pillow. He closed his eyes, the woman leaning up to peck him on his lips, settling into his arms.

"I love you." Chrom whispered, closing his eyes and allowing himself to relax in the woman's arms, smirking at the pleased sound she made in response to his affections.

"I love you, too." She answered in turn, smirking as she thought of a good way to cheer up her husband, she just needed to wait until morning…

The sunbeam escaping into the room from the window shown sharply on his face, the man grunting as he sat up. He groped for his wife beside him, the shroud of sleep evaporating in and instance when he couldn't feel her beside him. The only thing that kept him from panicking was the heat lingering in the sheets beside him, he wondered where she would've gone this early in the morning before the squeals of his children came racing to his ears, and he watched as the mops of blue hair came just as quickly into the room.

Lucina and Morgan clambered up onto the bed, the pair tackling their father and howling with laughing delight. The man cried out in surprise, chuckling sharply as he wrapped his arms around his children. A lower laugh caught his attention, and he saw his wife in the doorway, smiling widely at him as she slowly made her way over to the bed.

"Feel better? I told the kids that papa was in desperate need of some 'TLC'." She purred, sitting down on the edge of the bed, the man looking to his kids.

"She did! We love you, papa!" Morgan exclaimed, gripping at his father while Lucy snuggled up in his side. Chrom scooped them both up, motioning Robin to come next to him, the woman sitting beside him and leaning into his side.

"Feeling better?"

"Very."

* * *

Chrom just happens to be the first one I romanced, I couldn't help resisted my blue haired, nerdy Prince! Head on over to my tumblr: grimlegate. tumblr. com and check out my other stories and leave requests!


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